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  1. Home
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  3. The Cambridge History of Christianity
  • Cited by 8
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:
March 2008
Print publication year:
2007
Online ISBN:
9781139054133
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521812443
Collection:
Cambridge Histories - Religion
Subjects:
Ancient History, Classical Studies, Regional and World History: General Interest, Religion, Church History
Series:
Cambridge History of Christianity
Information

Book description

This volume in the Cambridge History of Christianity presents the 'Golden Age' of patristic Christianity. After episodes of persecution by the Roman government, Christianity emerged as a licit religion enjoying imperial patronage and eventually became the favoured religion of the empire. The articles in this volume discuss the rapid transformation of Christianity during late antiquity, giving specific consideration to artistic, social, literary, philosophical, political, inter-religious and cultural aspects. The volume moves away from simple dichotomies and reductive schematizations (e.g., 'heresy v. orthodoxy') toward an inclusive description of the diverse practices and theories that made up Christianity at this time. Whilst proportional attention is given to the emergence of the Great Church within the Roman Empire, other topics are treated as well - such as the development of Christian communities outside the empire.

Reviews

'The twenty-nine essays in total paint a rich canvas of late antique Christianity in its many facets and illustrate the equally lively and varied engagement of current scholarship with this fascinating period … The contributors, editors and the Press must be congratulated for a volume to which the scholarly community will come back for many years as a standard reference tool.'

Source: Journal of Ecclesiastical History

'… elegant and learned essay … sweeping and evocative narrative … The volume more than justifies the historiographical assumption of contingent and variable early medieval "Christianities" rather an unchanging and immutable "Christianity" …impressive study of conversion … rewarding …splendid … a good and critical survey … excellent … sophisticated and thought-provoking … at once capture[s] the divinity, artfulness, and physical sensuality of texts … outstanding, expertly and eloquently examining how cults and their saints were capable of "endless reinvention" … All in all, Early Medieval Christianities, c.600-c.1100 is a worthy volume about Christians and their various "Christianities".'

Source: Church History

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Contents

Page 2 of 2

Contents
  • 25 - The growth of liturgy and the church year
    pp 601-617
  • View abstract

    Summary

    The Constantinian peace afforded the opportunity for new spacious church buildings, and a more public celebration of liturgy with more elaborate forms. The Spanish nun Egeria, after a visit to the Holy Land, reveals a well-established liturgical calendar, and describes the various weekday services in the holy city. This chapter traces the growth of liturgy in the ancient churches of Jerusalem, Antioch, East Syria, Egypt, Rome, and the West. At Rome, 15-23 December seems to have been regarded as the end of the agricultural year, perhaps suggesting the theme of the end of history. Christians assembled on the Lord's Day, which seemingly established itself quickly as the weekly worship day. In addition the Didache mentioned fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays. During the fourth century one can see the development of particular feasts and seasons. Egeria mentions Lent, Easter, Pentecost and Epiphany, and indicates that her community in Spain was well aware of these feasts and seasons.
  • 26 - Interpreting scripture
    pp 618-636
  • View abstract

    Summary

    The Bible provided the narrative framework in which Christians of late antiquity interpreted their world, and was the script by which they carried forward their own performance, or continuation, of the salvation story. A history of early scholarly commentary on scripture simply cannot give a full account, since this interpretive performance played out in diverse contexts in which Christians enacted their faith. Mapping the correspondences between prophetic events or figures (typoi) in the Old Testament and their fulfilments or antitypes under the Christian dispensation had long served to confute Jewish and pagan criticism of the novelty of Christianity, establishing a sacred past and credible identity for the Christian movement. Theôria, contemplation, an embracing spiritual vision of divine revelation, is the principal key to understanding scriptural interpretation in late antiquity. Theôria was the cultivated intuition of the church, at once shaping and shaped by exegesis, developing in constant tandem with the lived performance of the scriptures.
  • 27 - Asceticism and monasticism, I: Eastern
    pp 637-668
  • View abstract

    Summary

    Asceticism had deep roots in ancient society, both in the various religious traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean and in the Greek philosophical tradition. However, the emergence of monasticism constitutes a strikingly rapid and radical change of social, political and religious culture. This chapter discusses asceticism and monasticism in the East during the fourth and fifth centuries. It presents a discussion of some general characteristic features that precedes a typological description of the main varieties and a sketch of the tradition's emergence in the five major areas: Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor and Constantinople. In various ways the ascetic groups in the cities, as well as the ascetic households, were transformed into monasteries. In monastic communities, the spiritual direction of the disciple by his master or the answers of the solitary monks to those seeking advice were gathered and transmitted in growing collections of spiritual wisdom.
  • 28 - Asceticism and monasticism, II: Western
    pp 669-690
  • View abstract

    Summary

    As the fifth century wore on, monasticism became an increasingly familiar fixture in Western society, though there were considerable divergences in the types of monastic life to be found within any one area of Western Europe. In Gaul, for instance, not all communities could afford or wished to embrace the aristocratic and learned lifestyle of Lérins. The earliest monastic rules frequently attempted to capture the essence of the spirit inspiring the groups from which they originated. Benedict's Rule is mentioned in two works traditionally attributed to Gregory, but neither text can be taken as evidence of the early diffusion of the Benedictine Rule. For that, one needs to turn to the history of the monasteries founded by Columbanus. Columbanus' forging of links with an aspirant Frankish aristocracy led many families to realise that the foundation of monasteries could be a valuable weapon in their struggle to establish themselves as a permanent elite in the early seventh century.
  • 29 - Art and Propaganda fide: Christian art and architecture, 300–600
    pp 691-725
  • View abstract

    Summary

    Since Jesus declared poverty and humility to be the most important Christian virtues, the question inevitably arises as to why the church accepted architectural ornamentation and the public display of artistic pomp. At first glance, early Christian art appears to be a mere clone, or at best an identical twin, of its Greco-Roman counterpart, and there is indeed no denying the fact that early Christian art is based on the Greco-Roman artisan tradition and mindset. This chapter first discusses a broader context the issue of the acceptance of the pictorial religious image in Christianity. Next, it discusses baptism and baptisteries, and explores the impact the church has on the believer through the medium of art and architecture after acceptance of Christ and baptism. Then, the chapter examines how the church markets salvation to believers through the medium of art. Finally, it discusses subjects of Christian archaeology such as catacombs and mausoleums and their decorative accoutrements.

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